Edgar "Ned" Willsher (22 November 1828 – 7 October 1885) was an English cricketer known for being a catalyst in the shift from roundarm to overarm bowling.

Seventy-nine wickets in 1859, and one better in 1860 established Willsher as a key bowler for Kent, as he regularly featured in their starting XI with fourteen games in each season.

[1] Playing for an England XI against Surrey he was called six times by umpire John Lillywhite for delivering the ball when his hand was above his shoulder.

[1][7] When Lillywhite refused to accept the legality of Willsher's action, he was replaced as umpire so that the game could continue.

[8] As a result of this incident, which may well have been planned in advance in order to force the issue, the laws were changed and overarm bowling was legalised from the beginning of the 1864 season.

His appearances for Kent began to diminish, and in 1874 he played only seven matches, not passing fifty with the bat after 1869, and taking only two ten-wicket hauls in his final four seasons compared to thirteen in the proceeding four.

The first, on 17 June against Hampshire, saw Willsher take four wickets in a convincing Kent innings victory,[11] It was his final appearance for his county.

In the last game of his first-class career on 19 August between two invitation XI's representing the North and South of the country, Willsher, playing alongside WG Grace, made only one run and was not called on to bowl.